Cycle 13 – Item 41

15 (Tue) February 2022

Seuchwan Mapa Dubu

2.5

at Wooyuk Mien

(Hyundai Department Store – COEX)

-Samseong, Gangnam, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with W

Now on meds to regulate my blood sugar (see generally 13.030 The Misik Ramyeon (Spicy)), I’m susceptible to hypoglycemia, especially late in the afternoon.  I suddenly feel light-headed, and my limbs begin to shake – very disconcerting.  (Ironic to think that I’m in this mess primarily/probably because of alcohol abuse, though I never found the debilitating effects of drunkenness to be disconcerting.).

After running an errand in the department store, we were on our way to the parking lot, when I felt it coming on, so we stopped for an early dinner.

Wooyuk Mien is a Chinese restaurant.  Specializes in Taiwanese beef noodle soup.  A recipient of the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand for 4 straight years, from 2018-2021.

The one flavor component that I associate with Sichuanese cuisine – admittedly, my experiences have been limited to restaurants in the States with names like Szechuan Garden – is Sichuan peppercorn.  Until recently, the spice was virtually nonexistent in Korea, still not used in Korean-Chinese kitchens, but it’s growing in popularity at newfangled places serving various mala dishes (more on that someday).

Whereas “Sacheon” is applied to any spicy Korean-Chinese dish (likewise, any Western spicy dish made is referred to as “Cajun”), “Seuchwan” seemed to hint at a more authentically Sichuanese formulation.

As suspected, the mapa dubu contained a good amount of Sichuan peppercorn.  I was reminded, however, that I don’t like Sichuan peppercorn, particularly the resulting numbness.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)